sonofzell
Registered
I suppose this is really just new diver curiosity, as I'm still feeling out the reasonable thresholds of being "thrifty" when it comes to life-supporting gear...
My daughter & I certified together a few years ago, and since then we've been slowly assembling our own gear collections. With my latest purchase, we've got everything except tanks (and wetsuits, depending on conditions). The majority of our gear, both new and pre-owned, has been purchased through our LDS.
A few weeks back, I stumbled upon a "too good to be true" price on a basic reg package on Amazon. Despite the obvious reservations about such an important component being so cheap, I just couldn't pass up taking a crack at a full, new setup for under $150!
We're booked on a charter out of Nags Head in a few weeks, and I sure as hell was not up for a "test run" in the mid-Atlantic, so we spent the last two weekends at our local quarry to make sure everything is operable. To my relief, this bare-bones reg lived up to its claims. It arrived well-packaged, all threads & rings were pristine, and assembly was effortless. The primary second stage does offer the occasional "fart" on exhalation when out of the water, but beneath the surface, I have to say - it's smooth and comfortable!
While I'm still lacking in diving experience, I can parallel the gear equation with ice hockey - a sport that I've been playing since around 1980. As a lifelong rink rat, I spent a good chunk of my 20's working in pro shops, guiding buyers on selecting the proper equipment for their needs. I presume there are a lot of caveats that can be applied to either... "necessary features" vs. "bells & whistles", selecting appropriate items vs. the most popular name brands, which items you can afford to "skimp" on vs. vital ones that warrant paying premium prices for, etc....
So, now that I've broken my own rule of thumb and paid the lowest price for arguably my most important piece of equipment, I welcome advice from those with experience as to what I should be doing (if anything) to make sure this "cheap" gear is up to task? It now has 4 dives on it with no trouble whatsoever, and I honestly don't see any windows for any other test runs before our OBX dive in June.
I guess I just recall too many times in which I couldn't convince people to shell out a couple extra bucks for proper skates and watched them walk out thinking "if they only knew what I know". Now that I'm on the opposite end of the experience spectrum, I'm curious about the collective thoughts on this - especially since the risk factors are so much more than a sprained ankle!!!
As always, thanks in advance for any guidance!!!!
Kirk
My daughter & I certified together a few years ago, and since then we've been slowly assembling our own gear collections. With my latest purchase, we've got everything except tanks (and wetsuits, depending on conditions). The majority of our gear, both new and pre-owned, has been purchased through our LDS.
A few weeks back, I stumbled upon a "too good to be true" price on a basic reg package on Amazon. Despite the obvious reservations about such an important component being so cheap, I just couldn't pass up taking a crack at a full, new setup for under $150!
We're booked on a charter out of Nags Head in a few weeks, and I sure as hell was not up for a "test run" in the mid-Atlantic, so we spent the last two weekends at our local quarry to make sure everything is operable. To my relief, this bare-bones reg lived up to its claims. It arrived well-packaged, all threads & rings were pristine, and assembly was effortless. The primary second stage does offer the occasional "fart" on exhalation when out of the water, but beneath the surface, I have to say - it's smooth and comfortable!
While I'm still lacking in diving experience, I can parallel the gear equation with ice hockey - a sport that I've been playing since around 1980. As a lifelong rink rat, I spent a good chunk of my 20's working in pro shops, guiding buyers on selecting the proper equipment for their needs. I presume there are a lot of caveats that can be applied to either... "necessary features" vs. "bells & whistles", selecting appropriate items vs. the most popular name brands, which items you can afford to "skimp" on vs. vital ones that warrant paying premium prices for, etc....
So, now that I've broken my own rule of thumb and paid the lowest price for arguably my most important piece of equipment, I welcome advice from those with experience as to what I should be doing (if anything) to make sure this "cheap" gear is up to task? It now has 4 dives on it with no trouble whatsoever, and I honestly don't see any windows for any other test runs before our OBX dive in June.
I guess I just recall too many times in which I couldn't convince people to shell out a couple extra bucks for proper skates and watched them walk out thinking "if they only knew what I know". Now that I'm on the opposite end of the experience spectrum, I'm curious about the collective thoughts on this - especially since the risk factors are so much more than a sprained ankle!!!
As always, thanks in advance for any guidance!!!!
Kirk
